Imaging system

Abstract

Imaging systems are provided allowing examination of different object regions spaced apart in a depth direction by visual microscopy and by optical coherence tomography. An axial field of view and a lateral resolution is varied depending on which object region is examined by the imaging system. The proposed imaging systems are in particular applicable for thorough examination of the human eye.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of inspecting an eye, the method comprising:
 operating an imaging system in one of a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation; 
 wherein the imaging system comprises a microscope system and an OCT system; 
 wherein the microscope system is configured to image an object plane onto an image plane and wherein the OCT system is configured to generate an OCT measuring beam of OCT measuring light; 
 wherein the object plane is located in a region of an anterior portion of the eye in the first mode of operation, and the object plane or an image of the object plane is located in a region of a retina of the eye in the second mode of operation; 
 wherein a lateral width of the OCT measuring beam at the object plane in the first mode of operation is greater than the lateral width of the OCT measuring beam at the object plane or the image of the object plane, respectively, in the second mode of operation. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the microscope system is configured to image the object plane onto the image plane via an imaging beam path traversing an objective lens of the imaging system; 
 wherein the OCT system further comprises OCT beam shaping optics which is located outside of the imaging beam path and which is configured to change a lateral width of a beam waist of the OCT measuring beam. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein an OCT beam path of the OCT measuring light traverses the objective lens. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein before and after the changing of the lateral width of the beam waist, the OCT beam shaping optics forms a substantially parallel beam bundle of the OCT measuring light. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the OCT beam shaping optics has a variable focal length;
 wherein the changing of the lateral width of the beam waist comprises changing a value of the variable focal length. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the OCT system is configured to direct the OCT measuring light toward the object plane via an OCT beam path; wherein the OCT beam shaping optics comprises a lens; and
 wherein the changing of the lateral width of the beam waist comprises inserting the lens into the OCT beam path or removing the lens from the OCT beam path. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the OCT system comprises an OCT measuring beam emitter for emitting the OCT measuring beam;
 wherein before and after the changing of the lateral width of the beam waist, the beam emitter is located in a focal plane of the OCT beam shaping optics. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the changing of the lateral width of the beam waist comprises changing a cross-sectional area of a substantially parallel beam bundle of the OCT measuring light. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the OCT beam shaping optics is configured such that before and after the changing of the lateral width of the beam waist, the OCT measuring beam is focused at the object plane. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an axial field of view of the OCT system in the first mode of operation is greater than the axial field of view of the OCT system in the second mode of operation. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the first mode of operation, the OCT measuring beam is focused at the object plane and in the second mode of operation, the OCT measuring beam is focused onto at least one of the object plane and the image of the object plane. 
     
     
       12. An imaging system, which is configured to perform the method of  claim 1 .